Title: “Conversion of Waste CO 2 and Shale Gas to High Value Chemicals”

Abstract

The ultimate objective of the project was to develop, build, operate and validate a laboratory scale continuous process to make carbon dioxide (CO 2)-based chemical intermediates with significantly lower energy content, carbon footprint, and cost than today’s petrochemical versions. Novomer’s catalyst allows carbon monoxide (CO) – an output of Praxair’s solid oxide electrolyzer (SOE) CO 2 to CO conversion technology – to be combined with an ethane-derivative (ethylene oxide, (EO)) to form a versatile intermediate called beta-propiolactone (BPL) via carbonylation chemistry. The BPL can be converted to acrylic acid using known technologies previously demonstrated at commercial scale, or further reacted in the presence of Novomer’s catalyst to form four-carbon chemical intermediates. The team has collected engineering data required to build a pilot plant (out of scope project scope) with the assistance of an industrial chemical partner.

The principal objective of this project was to develop a fully integrated catalytic process that efficiently converts lignocellulosic feedstocks (e.g. bagasse, corn stover, and loblolly pine) into aromatic-rich fuels and chemicals. Virent led this effort with key feedstock support from Iowa State University. Within this project, Virent leveraged knowledge of catalytic processing of sugars and biomass to investigate two liquefaction technologies (Reductive Catalytic Liquefaction (USA Patent No. 9,212,320, 2015) and Solvolysis (USA Patent No. 9,157,030, 2015) (USA Patent No. 9,157,031, 2015)) that take advantage of proprietary catalysts at temperatures less than 300°C in the presence of unique solvent molecules generatedmore » in-situ within the liquefaction processes.« less

This report presents a summary of the research work accomplished to date on the utilization of solar photo-thermal energy to convert low cost chemical feedstocks into high $-value chemical products. The rationale is that the solar IR-VIS-UV spectrum is unique, supplying endothermic reaction energy as well as VIS-UV for photochemical activation. Chemical market analysis and product price distribution focused attention on speciality chemicals with prices >$1.00/lb, and a synthesis sequence of n-paraffins to aromatics to partial oxidized products. The experimental work has demonstrated that enhanced reaction effects result from VIS-UV irradiation of catalytically active V2O5/SiO2. Experiments of the past yearmore » have been on dehydrogenation and dehydrocyclization of n-paraffins to olefins and aromatics with preference for the latter. Recent results using n-hexane produced 95% conversion with 56% benzene; it is speculated that aromatic yield should reach {approximately}70% by further optimization. Pilot- and commercial-scale reactor configurations have been examined; the odds-on-favorite being a shallow fluid-bed of catalyst with incident radiation from the top. Sequencing for maximum cost effectiveness would be day-time endothermic followed by night-time exothermic reactions to produce the products.« less

Two large-scale ICRS pilot plants are being operated at Midwestern dairies. The Purdue research has focused on using the ICRS to produce ethanol from cheese whey. In this application, the cells of the ICRS are lactose-utilizing yeasts absorbed to a fibrous absorbent packing matrix that converts lactose to ethanol and carbon dioxide.

This report presents a summary of the research work accomplished to date on the utilization of solar photo-thermal energy to convert low cost chemical feedstocks into high $-value chemical products. The rationale is that the solar IR-VIS-UV spectrum is unique, supplying endothermic reaction energy as well as VIS-UV for photochemical activation. Chemical market analysis and product price distribution focused attention on speciality chemicals with prices >$1.00/lb, and a synthesis sequence of n-paraffins to aromatics to partial oxidized products. The experimental work has demonstrated that enhanced reaction effects result from VIS-UV irradiation of catalytically active V2O5/SiO2. Experiments of the past yearmore » have been on dehydrogenation and dehydrocyclization of n-paraffins to olefins and aromatics with preference for the latter. Recent results using n-hexane produced 95% conversion with 56% benzene; it is speculated that aromatic yield should reach {approximately}70% by further optimization. Pilot- and commercial-scale reactor configurations have been examined; the odds-on-favorite being a shallow fluid-bed of catalyst with incident radiation from the top. Sequencing for maximum cost effectiveness would be day-time endothermic followed by night-time exothermic reactions to produce the products.« less